The Essence of Trust
by decechat
Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man’s revenge on Carson.
1. Chapter 1

**The Essence of Trust **by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter One:

Never before in his life had he ever felt so completely and utterly helpless. As a soldier he had been trained to always fight back, to never give in, and to always hope. However, those years of training were beginning to falter as each hour passed. It was supposed to have been a quick and easy mission; trading Beckett's medical services and McKay's technological abilities for all the food they would need for a year. McKay would fix their downed generator while Beckett was to treat the wounded in the village; a couple of hours, tops. But it hadn't turned out as planned. After having seen their oldest member treated and feeling better, the villagers had pressed the team to stay for a festival; a night of grand partying. He had objected of course, but they had insisted; almost dragging him to a table. Thinking back now, that had been his first mistake. They had all eaten their share, laughing and chatting with the grateful group of people who had praised them again and again for their help. It was a wonder that Rodney's head hadn't exploded right then and there.

It wasn't until Rodney suddenly passed out that Sheppard had begun to worry. It was here that he had made his second mistake; he had stood up too quickly. The feeling of being drugged hit him full force, and as he started to fall he noticed Ronan dizzily swinging his fist at the nearest face before falling beside Beckett.

The next thing he had remembered had been waking, chained to the wall with a gag in his mouth. He had looked around and found Rodney and Ronan in much the same predicament as himself. He had looked into their eyes and had tried to convey a message of hope and encouragement. Ronan had looked at him nonchalantly, his face a mask of calm and composure. Actually he had expected no less of the large man. Years of being chased by the wraith had left the man strong willed and resolute. It was Rodney's eyes that had scared him. The blue orbs that had looked back at him had been filled with complete and utter terror. He had tried to calm the scientist with slow, deliberate blinks, but had been interrupted by the opening of a door. He had immediately recognized their host as he had walked deliberately over to them. The man had merely looked at the three forms and spoken quietly to them. "My name is Lagos. I am sure you wish to know the reason for this betrayal of your confidence; and I will tell you." The man, dressed in an ornately rich and flowing outfit, had turned and put his hand on the single piece of furniture, a table. He had turned quickly and glared at John and the others. "My wife, Calde, was among the first of those injected with the wraith drug on Hoff. She suffered for many days as I watched, helpless to do anything. In fact, she died here on this very table," he had said, lovinginly stroking the cold stone before starting to pace. He had stopped in front of Ronan and growled, "I have since learned that it was Doctor Carson Beckett who developed the drug. Needless to say, his research was incomplete. How dare he create a drug that would kill innocent people like Calde."

John could see that the man's agitation had been growing, but was surprised at how quickly he had seen the man go from insanely upset to frighteningly calm. "Therefore, I have decided that as payment, Dr. Beckett shall feel the pain that he has caused so many. He will be exposed to a new form of 'therapy' shall we say. It is brand new, created by me, and completely untested. It is called sensory overload, and you will all get to see its effects, just as I watched the effects of this doctor's experimental drug on my wife." John had watched quizzically as the man had motioned to the door and the physician he knew so well had been dragged inside and placed on a table in the middle of the room. Sheppard had watched as two men had secured Carson's hands and feet in restraints before slipping a blindfold over the unconscious man's eyes. He had followed the retreat of both Lagos and the men before he had shifted his gaze back to the man on the table.

He had watched Carson slowly wake and try to take in his surroundings, pulling lightly on his restraints and moaning. Unable to move, Beckett had begun to call lightly for those who had previously been with him. Sheppard could do nothing as he listened to Carson's calls for himself and the others of his team. He had finally stopped his unanswered calls several minutes later before falling back unconscious. For John the inability to answer his friend caused a feeling of helplessness to begin to grow.

Carson woke to a buzzing head, dry mouth and darkness. He felt the rough cloth that was around his face and reached his hand up to remove it, only to discover that he couldn't move his arms…or his legs. _Och, what's this now, _he thought. "Colonel?", "Ronan?", "Rodney?" "This is nah bloody funny" he said aloud, trying to quell the fear that was beginning to spike in his chest. "Colonel, please answer me." Receiving no answer he began to feel fear awake within him. _Alrigh' Carson, don' panic_, he thought to himself, trying to calm his wild imagination before it got too far.

He made himself focus and tried to think back to his last memory before waking up here. The last thing he could recall was seeing Rodney fall to the floor and feeling a hand on his neck. After that it had turned black. Remembering Rodney falling made him mumble out loud, "Rodney, I don' know if ye can hear me or nah lad, but if ye can, try to rest as much as possible." _Actually, resting sounds really good ta me right now..._his thoughts became hazy and he slowly left consciousness behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Essence of Trust **by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. The sadistic plots I come up with; however, are completely and totally mine._

Chapter Two:

Wakened by a door opening, John now watched as the man named Lagos entered and headed straight for Carson. His eyes widened and he began to struggle against his bonds when he noticed the greenish liquid in a big ass syringe. If this wasn't so deadly serious, John would have laughed at the doctor getting some of his own medicine, but nothing about this was funny. Lagos nodded towards the captives as he adeptly and quickly inserted the needle into Carson's arm while saying, "Calm down, it's only a sedative to keep him inert and quiet, at least until I am ready to begin." Lagos finished the task at hand and set the syringe aside, turning curiously to the men chained before him. He paced back and forth before finally stopping before John.

Eyeing him questioningly, Lagos pulled his hand up and removed the gag from his mouth. "You have the aura of a leader. Tell me, am I correct in my assumption?" Clearing his throat Sheppard paused before responding coldly, "Yah that would be me. Now how about turning us loose before you get yourself into some really big trouble?"

"Unfortunately…" the man began before stopping to think, "I'm sorry, how rude of me, I didn't ask your names…" he said, trailing off and looking pointedly at Sheppard. When there came no response, Lagos merely turned and pointed at the limp form on the table. "I guess it doesn't matter, I know the name of the only person I came here for. The rest of you are merely an added bonus. As I was saying, unfortunately I am unable to let you go. Releasing you would only alert more of your kind to my presence and would end my revenge far too quickly; something I can't have." John glanced at Ronan to gauge his reaction and saw anger at the growled words. "However, I have decided that out of pity, I will allow you to say a few words to Dr. Beckett before I begin. I know it is not much of a comfort, being that you shall watch him die, but then again life is not fair. You have five minutes, starting now." Lagos nodded towards Sheppard and left the room.

Sheppard glanced at McKay before turning his head towards Carson. "Hey Carson, you in there buddy?" Getting no response, just as expected, John continued to try to reach his friend through the power of words, hoping to form a bond that would withstand the coming storm. "Carson, listen to me…If you can hear me, you have to stay strong. Resist him. We're right here; Ronan, Rodney and I are all here. Just keep quiet and stay out of his way. We're going to get out of this soon. You know Teyla, she'll have Elizabeth sending out a rescue mission in no time…so just hold on." Getting no response from the physician worried John. Other than McKay, Dr. Beckett was the foremost expert on talking and making noise; both of which was severely lacking right now.

John continued to assure Carson; knowing that this would probably be his only chance to try and ground the scientist. True to his word, after five minutes a man came in and roughly reapplied the gag; securing it tighter than it had been previously.

------------------break----------------------------

In the room across the hall, Lagos watched the video feed and waited for his tech to answer the question he had just asked, "Did you get it?"

The bespectacled man finally turned and after pushing up his glasses stated calmly, "We have exactly five minutes of usable tape."

Lagos smiled and nodded at the man, "Good. Now we can finally begin."

_**A/N: This chapter is short, but they will get longer, I promise. Hope you enjoy.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Essence of Trust **by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; spoilers for those of you who haven't seen Runner._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. The sadistic plots I come up with; however, are completely and totally mine._

Chapter Three:

Rodney McKay had never fancied himself a fighter. In fact, it was a widely known fact that he was willing to allow others to put their own lives on the line to ensure his safety. Atlantis needed his brains, not his brawn. It wasn't just a conceited statement, it was the truth. He was a scientist; the man they turned to when things were terribly wrong. He could fix anything; at least that is what he always told everyone.

He knew people questioned his bravery, hell, he questioned it. Every time someone died, or came close to dying for him or others, he asked himself if he would have done the same. He remembered the first time he had asked himself that question. It had been when John Sheppard had volunteered to lead a rescue mission for Sumner and his men. He had struggled for hours with the thought of entering an enemy ship, let alone that ship being Wraith. The question had appeared again when he had witnessed Ford sacrifice his own life to blow the rear hatch of the puddle jumper into space, giving the ship the needed thrust to clear the stargate and save the individuals inside.

At first he had thought this abnormal desire to give one's life for others was simply confined to those of the military, but that theory had proven wrong. He had seen men of his caliber and scientific training; men like Brendan Gaul, Peter Grodin and most recently Carson Beckett face their mortality and stand toe to toe with fear.

He doubted that he would ever forget Gaul's face as he tried to convince Rodney to leave him, to go help Sheppard. Neither would he forget Grodin's voice telling him to "come back when it's done then." Then when Carson had faced the danger of getting shot and had calmly walked onto that alien planet to remove a tracking device from the man now tied next to him, he had realized that this courage was an innate quality, one that seemed to be hidden in every individual.

He had wondered for weeks whether that quality was present in him; had struggled night after night with the worry that when the time came, would he be able to go through with it. Yet, as he found himself standing there, chained to a wall and bound with a gag, he knew that without a doubt, given the chance, he would exchange his life for that of Carson's, for that of his friends.

---break---

It had been hours since Lagos had drugged Carson and left; hours that McKay had waited anxiously, hoping that this nightmare would end sooner rather than later. The pale face on the table in front of him had not moved at all during that time, and he had begun to wonder if it ever would again. He had observed both Sheppard and Ronan testing and retesting the strength of their bonds, trying to find weaknesses that could be exploited. He himself, had pulled on his restraints several times, knowing that if Carson were to be saved, the escape of one of them must occur.

He had just finished watching Ronan pull hard on the chain attached to his right arm when he heard the door open for the second time that day. Remembering the last time he had seen a needle in the hands of that mad man, made Rodney's eyes widen when he saw another needle, this one filled with a clear liquid.

Lagos entered the room with two other men, both large and very well muscled. He stopped at the table that held Beckett, depositing the needle beside him before turning and walking towards Ronan. "You can stop the escape attempts. Believe me when I tell you there is nothing you can do to break those chains. They are reinforced and are more than capable of holding men of your size." Catching the glare from Ronan's eyes, Lagos took a step back before motioning to his men to stand beside the table. He turned his gaze back to Beckett and picked up the needle.

His gaze never left the instrument as he tapped it lightly before squirting a small amount into the air. With his back turned to the three men, he spoke over his shoulder as he inserted the needle into the doctor's arm, "I thought you should know that this entire procedure is being taped. I have found that it is a most excellent way of taking notes. So therefore," he said, retracting the needle and turning around, "you all will know exactly what is happening to him at every moment. Shall we begin then?"

Lagos moved around the table and picked up a small microphone and a hand-held data pad. He spoke into the microphone in a steady rhythmic voice pacing as he said, "Stage one; I have administered a small amount of the serum into Doctor Beckett's blood. This amount should cause paralysis of the extremities as well as slight nausea and disorientation of the individual. After having injected the doctor, I am now ready to proceed with the voice recognition analysis and removal."

Rodney watched Lagos move once more to Beckett's side, giving him a hard shake to the shoulder until the doctor began to wake. Lagos nodded slowly as he touched a few keys on his data-pad. Rodney was astonished then horrified as he watched the next scene unfold.

As soon as Carson was awake enough Rodney heard Sheppard's voice float loud and clear into the room. "Hey Carson, you in there buddy?" He glanced at John before hearing Carson answer back lethargically, "Aye son, ya don't have ta speak so loudly, I can hear ya just…" A swift punch to the stomach made the doctor wince and shout out,

"Whad'ya do that for son?"

---break---

"Whad'ya do that for son?" He had awoken only minutes earlier to someone shaking him very hard. His head felt fuzzy and he couldn't remember very much of what had happened. He had been surprised to feel sudden pain in his midsection after hearing the Colonel's voice. He was even more surprised that the blow had apparently come from Sheppard. _Surely nah, must be someone else in the room, I can nah see a bloody thing though._

"Keep quiet," came Sheppard's voice again.

"All ya had ta do was ask Colon…" he started again. A sharp jab to his chest left him gasping for air and very confused. _What the bloody hell is goin' on…_he frowned, thinking Sheppard must be out of his mind. "This had better nah be another one of yur 'lessons on self-defense, cause …" Another hit to the head made him wince in pain and reach for his head. Finding his hands unresponsive, his breath began to escalate, coming in shorter, shallower gasps.

"You have to stay strong."

Feeling the pain in his head and chest, mixed with the inability to feel his arms and legs made him wonder if he should answer Sheppard. Deciding to give it one more go he answered more unsteadily than he meant to, "How can I do that if ya keep hittin' me?"

Another blow to his midsection, followed by another to chest and one more to his head caused him to slowly lose consciousness, sinking back into the world of nothingness, but not before he heard Sheppard's voice say, "Hey Carson, you in there buddy?"

---break---

Lagos turned from the now unconscious man to see the reaction from the other three men. He laughed when he saw the look of worry and rage plastered on each face. "Well, that went well don't you think?" he said before gathering his things and walking towards the door. He stopped just short of the doorframe and turned to look at Carson, "I'll be back soon and we shall continue," before walking out the door in front of the other men.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Essence of Trust**by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; spoilers for those of you who haven't seen Runner._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. The sadistic plots I come up with; however, are completely and totally mine._

Chapter 4:

Rage. It was the best word to accurately describe what he was feeling right now. He had been chained to this wall for hours, maybe days; there was no way of knowing how much time had truly passed. What he did know was that during that time he had watched Lagos and his men continue to torture Carson unmercifully. Every couple of hours they would enter the room silently, insert another vial of that damned serum into the doctor and begin the sick little game of…what did he call it…oh right…voice recognition analysis and removal. _This is like some demented nightmare that never ends, _he thought to himself, wearily closing his eyes.

His anger at Lagos had increased to rage after hearing his voice played next to Carson's ear. Knowing that Lagos was using his friendship, his words of comfort, in such a twisted way, caused murderous thoughts to enter his brain. His ire had boiled over when he had witnessed the pain inflicted shortly thereafter. Never before in his life had he been so ready and willing to kill a man.

Carson didn't deserve this; no one did. The man had only been trying to help those people. It was Carson who had pleaded with the Chancellor to stop the inoculations; had begged the man to reconsider. He was the one who had stayed to help complete strangers; trying to save as many as he could. In the end his voice had gone unheeded and half of all who had received the inoculation, including the woman he had worked with, had died.

After watching so many die on Hoff, Beckett had carried around a burden of guilt that few people knew about, expertly hiding it from both his staff and fellow colleagues. Yet, both he and Rodney had noticed it; had tried repeatedly to convince the doctor of his innocence, both knowing that deep down this was a burden that Carson would not easily relinquish. Despite his resistance though they had both tried, and continued to try. However, both men understood the guilt associated with so many deaths. Hell, most times they did the same thing; blaming themselves for deaths that couldn't have been stopped. Looking at the doctor, Sheppard hoped that this would not turn out to be one of those burdens he would carry the rest of his life.

He knew that Beckett had fought it…at least at first. The physician had struggled through the pain and attempted to reach John Sheppard with calming words; words meant to soothe the soul of the man he believed was being tormented as well. Always the healer first, he had pleaded with the Colonel, trying to talk some sense into him; attempting to understand the reason for the pain Sheppard was causing. Time after time he had heard the Scot saying, "What's goin' on Colonel?" and "Why are you doin' this?" Yet, with each blow administered to his bruised body, with each addition of the serum into his bloodstream, he had watched Carson's confusion and doubt grow; seen the light in his eyes slowly fading.

He had begun to withdraw, speaking less and less to the voice that he knew and trusted. He was becoming edgy; flinching every time he heard Sheppard's voice; expecting the blow that was to follow. It had taken hours and several rounds of intense beatings before Beckett had finally refused to speak at all. Now that he thought about it, the silence was quite horrifying; it meant the doctor was slowly giving up. How many times had he told either Beckett or McKay, or both, to shut the hell up. _Too many times to mention I'm sure._

Sheppard opened his eyes and turned his head slightly to look at the scientist. He looked awfully pale and tired, but much better than he had looked a few hours ago. During the last round of 'beat up Carson', Lagos had noticed McKay's shaking and heavy breathing. He had stared hard at Rodney before leaving the room abruptly. He had entered again a few minutes later with a small loaf of bread. "You have the sickness in which you must be fed every couple of hours, no?" Receiving only a glare in response, Lagos had simply ignored the scientist while examining the bread in his hand stating quietly, "My wife also had this sickness and reacted in much the same way." Looking up suddenly from the food in his hands, he had viscously hissed, "I do not wish you to die until my test is complete. I am going to remove your gag, but I warn you not to say anything." Nodding to his men, Lagos had merely pointed to the gun that was aimed at Carson's unconscious body before removing the rag tied around Rodney's mouth.

McKay had wisely kept his mouth shut as a piece of bread had been shoved into his mouth. Lagos had waited until the bread had been fully consumed before he had replaced the gag. That had been hours ago, but Rodney's breathing had slowly evened out and his shaking had ceased. In fact he had finally managed to close his eyes and rest.

Glancing from Rodney's face to Ronan's, Sheppard was surprised to see the rage he felt mirrored in the runner's eyes. Usually the man was uniquely impassive; hiding his feelings until they manifested themselves in the form of a blow to the head or a slash from his sword. During fights the man was ruthless; using pent-up emotions to fuel his punches and jabs until every enemy had been incapacitated. The fact that he could easily read the hatred on the man's face startled him.

_Actually I shouldn't be that surprised. I mean Beckett did remove that tracking device. Come to think of it he is kinda like Han Solo, and Ronan is the ever loyal Chewbacca. Kinda looks like him too._ Sheppard smiled a little as he thought about the comparison between the big hairy beast in Star Wars and the man next to him. _Whoa,_ he thought, realizing he was grinning, _I must be really tired if I can laugh at that now. Come to think of it, it has been a long time since I've slept…or eaten_..._C'mon John, you've got to think straight if you ever hope to get out of this._ Knowing he would think more clearly after getting some sleep he caught Ronan's eye, sending a silent message telling him to keep watch for a while. Seeing the ever-aware giant nod slightly, John Sheppard new the message had been received and closed his eyes and allowed sleep to pull him under.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I guess it took me three feet of snow and being stranded in my own house to get me writing again. Hope you all enjoy; love the feedback!!! **


	5. Chapter 5

**The Essence of Trust**by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter 5:

"Teyla, it's good to see you up and around. How are you feeling?" The soft tones of Elizabeth Weir's voice eminated her obvious concern as it resonated off the walls of her small office. Seated at her desk, with computer pad in one hand and stylus in the other, she looked at the small Athosian who had entered her doorway.

"I am quite well Dr. Weir. Thank you for asking." The strength belayed in her voice was contradicted only by the tired lines that were outlined on Teyla's face and the slight forward slump of her shoulders; signs of her recent bout of the flu vires she had contracted while visiting the mainland.

"I'm glad to hear that. What can I do for you Teyla?"

Light steps echoed quietly in the room as Teyla stepped forward into the office. After a few moments of stillness Elizabeth looked up from her handheld computer to see the young woman standing in front of her desk, shoulders squared, arms at her side and a concerned look on her face. About to ask her question again, she was surprised to hear Teyla answer softly, "I am concerned Dr. Weir. I have just received word from Halling that more of my people have become sick with the illness I myself contracted." Pausing in her speech, she licked her lips and put one hand forward in supplication before continuing. "I also know that without the medical intervention I received, it is likely I would not have survived. I would like to ask you to allow me to return to the mainland to help my people."

Elizabeth set her pad down and drew her fingertips together; a habit that she tended to indulge when considering what course of action to take. On the one hand, Teyla was an intergral part of the SGA team; a part that had been severly lacking since she had fallen ill. However, she also knew that Teyla was the leader of her people, the one they looked to for answers. Even now, after having become a part of the Atlantis team, Teyla was often called upon to mediate problems that arose between her people. She was the one person that breached the gap between Atlantis and the Athosians. To deny her this chance to help her people, simply because her talents where needed in Atlantis, would be unfair at the least. Yet, the signs of sickness showed clearly, despite Teyla's attempt to hide them. Was she well enough herself to go? "Teyla, are you sure you feel up to it?"

Momentary indecision crossed her face before Teyla took a step forward and answered, "Dr. Weir, these are my people. I can never forget that. When they hurt, I hurt, and when they are sick, I am sick. I believe I am well enough to assist them. I only ask that you grant me time to ensure their wellness."

Sighing, Elizabeth sat back in her chair and said, "Allright Teyla, but I want you to take Dr. Biro to help you, and if you think you need anything else, promise to contact us;" raised eyebrows and crossed arms leaving little room for discussion. Teyla smiled slightly before answering, "Of course Elizabeth, and thank you."

**A/N: You didn't think the boys would get off that easy did you?**


	6. Chapter 6

**The Essence of Trust**by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter Six:

The first thing he noticed as he entered the conscious world was the feeling of nausea that seemed to overwhelm him. His stomach lurched and reeled like a small boat swaying in a massive ocean. He was sure it had to do with all the drugs they had injected him with. Forcing down the urge to vomit, he began to take stock of the rest of his faculties. He could tell that at least one or two of his fingers were broken.

Carson shuddered as he remembered the pain associated with that specific procedure; never in his life had anything hurt that bad. He could feel the swelling in his eyes and jaw where Sheppard had used his face as a punching bag…Sheppard…even the name caused cold shivers to run up his back. His muscles tensed as if readying for a blow to come. _**Stop…don't think that way…he would never hurt you unless he was under the influence…must be something very strong, good thing it's not affecting Ronan the same…Ronan, oh bloody hell, I hate to even think what they are doing to him or Rodney for that matter…I hope Elizabeth sends reinforcements soon. **_

He knew in his heart that the possibility of rescue was slim; it always was when something happened off world. For all he knew, they weren't even on the same planet, maybe they had been moved several times. Perhaps Rodney and Ronan were not even with them on this planet. The only thing he was certain of was that Sheppard was here with him…_**well at least he's here physically**_… a prospect that filled him with fear and hope at the same time. Right now he hated being in the same room with him, the colonel was fairly adept at beating people up, he was sure he had quite an array of bruises to prove it; but the idea of being alone scared him even more than being injected with who knows what and being pummeled time and again. If anyone could get them out of a spot, it was the colonel, even half-drugged and crazy.

_**Crazy…I hope this stuff doesn't cause permanent damage…dammit…here he comes again. Maybe if I play like I'm unconscious…**_

"Hey Carson, you in there buddy?"

_**Oh crap…**_

**A/N: Sorry for the delay and the short chapter, having a hard time keeping up with classes and finding the time to write.**


	7. Chapter 7

**The Essence of Trust**by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter Seven:

_**He hasn't broken yet**_…_**I thought for sure…**_Lagos grimaced as he placed his hand to his forehead, closing his eyes. His head ached, his back ached; everything ached. _**If only I could get out from under this darkness. **_Opening his eyes he looked around the sparsely decorated room he called home. _**More like a prison. Without Calde this life is not worth living. Oh my dear wife, I miss you so very much.**_ Pushing back his chair, he sighed as a whirlwind of memories invaded his brain. The first day they had met.

Chuckling, he remembered how silly Calde had looked with all those flowers in her hair; yet, they had smelled so wonderful, in fact, he could almost smell their sweet fragrance even now. The day they had been married. How frightened he had been. _**I never thought she would be mine.**_ The dress she had worn, and the way she had cried, memories that were beginning to fade. He walked across the room towards the bed. So many wonderful nights spent cuddled up together; giving and taking love. He reached out and touched the painting that still held her likeness. She had been so impatient when he had painted this. He could still hear her voice asking time and again if it was finished yet. He had simply laughed and ignored her constant nagging, telling her it would be done when it was done.

Sitting on the bed looking at the painting brought back another memory; the day he had finished. It had been the day she had told him that she was with child. He remembered dancing around the room in ecstasy, laughing and crying with her. It was also the day his life had ended. Calde had gone to get the inoculation against the wraith that same day; deciding that having the immunity it offered would help protect this new life that would grow within her. It was that same afternoon that he had come home to find her gasping for breath, begging him to help the child.

Remembering her sobs as he sat by her side only fueled his rage. _**She would not have died had it not been for the false promise of security.**_ _**That…that doctor…as he was called had no right bringing such pain to this world. He must have known how many people would suffer from it. That is why I must make him suffer. **_

Thinking of the man he was now torturing only caused his anger to flare even more and in a rare moment of unbridled rage, Lagos began to punch the pillow lying at his side. For several minutes he allowed the sorrow, pain and hatred to flow from his body into the soft material beside him. Anger spent, he pulled his nerves together and thought about the pain he was inflicting.

Beckett had at first seemed to be truly scared and upset by having been beaten by a friend; but it seemed he had somehow worked past that fear. He had even gone so far as to try and help the man he believed was hitting him. He wasn't terrified of what would happen next. He wasn't afraid for his very existence; this hadn't gone far enough. He knew that this…this hatred…would continue to grow and spread unless the root cause of that hatred was eradicated. It would continue to grow until Dr. Carson Beckett writhed in pain before taking his last breath. Then it would be satisfied; then and only then could he move out from under the dark cloud that seemed to spread over everything.

Walking towards the door, he straightened his clothes before turning back to the painting and whispering, "I promise you Calde, before this is over, that man will know the pain you felt a thousand times over."


	8. Chapter 8

The Essence of Trust by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter Eight:

As dawn broke the sounds of a new day slowly began to surround Teyla. Standing outside the small Athosian hut where none could see, she allowed her head to fall forward and her shoulders to droop. She had always relished the honor of leading her people. She loved them...they were her family. They were her responsibility...it was her job to protect them, to listen to them, to help them when she could and it was not a responsibility she took lightly. Teyla's eye caught the glint off the ring she wore on her finger...taking her back to a time before she had allied with John Sheppard and his team. Her father had given her the ring in her sixteenth year. It was the symbol of leadership; a token presented to her before all of her people. On that day she had stood before every Athosian and promised to lead them with integrity and respect. If she closed her eyes she could still feel the warm feeling that had burned through her at receiving the honor. It had been a wonderful day; one filled with promise and newness.

Sadly twisting the ring she remembered the day following the leadership ceremony. It seemed almost a premonition that her father had passed on the ring the day before he had been taken by the wraith. Just a few short hours after celebrating the new direction her life would take, she was thrust into the spotlight. Through her grief she had been forced to take on this new role that she was not ready for as of yet. She had buried her pain and led her people to safety, keeping them calm and collected even as darts culled the village. She had gotten most of the people to safety that day and from then on had been looked to for guidance in every decision. Even after taking up residence in the city of the ancestors she had still been the one they looked to. She knew they looked to her for answers, answers that sometimes even she could not supply. Tonight had been one of those times. She had had no answers for Leesa and Malet, two of her oldest friends. She had only been able to stand by and comfort them as they had watched their youngest child breathe her last. She had not been able to stop this sickness with words of determination.

Closing her eyes she let the desair and sadness wash over her. Standing in the quiet she let a tear slip from her eye and slide unnoticed down her cheek. **How many have died already from this disease? A disease I brought to my people.** The harsh sound of coughing coming from inside the tent broke off her line of thinking. They still needed her; those that were alive. Wiping her face she squared her shoulders and softly entered the hut once more.

Upon entering the village two days ago, Dr. Biro had immediately begun to inspect the sick and categorize symptoms. A hacking cough and runny nose had been the first signs of illness. Thinking this was simply a Pegasus style flu, she had treated it as such. However, as the day progressed, so did the disease. Her prescriptions of antihistimine injections had seemed to work on some of the Athosians, mainly the adults. It wasn't until one of the children had started complaining of breathing problems that her suspicions had changed. Yesterday, several of the children had begun wheezing; struggling to bring in much needed oxygen.

Strangly enough none of the adults who had been treated had any other problems than a continually running nose and a slight cough; symptoms Teyla had had for several days as well. Then last night one of the little girls had become so congested that she had been unable to draw in any breath at all, and despite all her expertise and struggle to help the girl nothing had worked; she had died in her father's arms only hours later. This morning two more children had died, and at least four more where on the brink. It was a full blown outbreak, and unless she did something soon, the Athosians would have no children left.

Bringing her mind back to the present Biro took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Turning to Teyla she spoke quietly, "Teyla, I need help with this. I can't fix this by myself fast enough. I need to return to Atlantis and get some supplies and Dr. Beckett. Will you be alright here?" Turning slowly from the child in front of her, Teyla lifted her head and locked eyes with the medical woman. "Please come back quickly Dr. Biro." Nodding slowly Biro picked up her medical bag and exited the tent; heading for the jumper and hopefully the man who could help these people.

"Dr. Biro, I am very sorry, but it seems we have lost contact with Sheppard and his team." Standing in her office, worry etched on her face, Dr. Weir crossed her legs at the ankles and leaning against her desk, gestured with her arms as she filled in the details. "Apparently, they stayed for a feast two days ago and have not been heard from since. I have Major Lorne and some of his men combing the village and talking to the villagers there. They should be checking in in a few hours"  
Sighing mightily, Biro looked up tiredly and said with conviction, "I just hope a few hours is not to much."

**A/N: Hopefully this will jump the story back into action and get it going again. Thanks for the feedback and constructive criticism...aka ideas...are always welcome.**


	9. Chapter 9

The Essence of Trust by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter 9:

Major Lorne felt the change in temperature as soon as he stepped across the threshold. It always amazed him how a person could go from the refreshingly cool and quiet ambience of the city into such a different climate in a split second. Moments before he and his team had left the meeting with Dr. Wier, suited up, and waited for the gate to be activated in a dry, humid gateroom; and then they had walked through a wormhole and been deposited on a different planet; one in which a monsoon was apparently happening.

_**Just great**_, he thought, wiping some of the pouring rain out of his eyes, _**of course the world Sheppard and his team were lost on would have to have some serious weather problems.**_

"Well, boys, ready for a five mile hike through some mud?" Lorne looked at the rest of SG-2 as he walked down the stairs and stepped in the mud; seeing the cringes on their faces as they each nodded and hearing their simple 'yes sir' answers caused a slight smile to come to his face as they set off for another search and rescue mission.

The smile was wiped off his face in the first two miles of their trek towards the city that Sheppard's team had been scheduled to visit. The path was narrow and full of potholes that no matter how hard they tried to avoid them, seemed to reach out and grab each member of the team. Adding to that was the continuous downpour that kept getting in their eyes and making the ground beneath them perilous at best.

Feeling as though someone had placed ten pound weights in each of his shoes, Lorne again looked at his watch and tried to determine how far they had come. The MALP sent a few days ago had showed a path leading into a valley with heavily forested trees on both sides. In his radio message several days before, Sheppard had said the village was a little more than an hour's walk from the gate. _**Well, we've been on this trail for at least an hour so…**_

"Major, do you see that?" Lorne looked up from his watch to see Lieutenant Wilkins pointing to what looked like a stone entryway that continued as a wall on both sides.

"Yes I do, Wilkins, and that means that our little hike is over and it's time to get some answers" Lorne's smile returned as he walked through the entryway; hoping that Sheppard's team was just enjoying the local color or exploring some strange energy readings that McKay always seemed to find.

Getting his first look at the village immediately caused his hope to deflate. From the looks of things, the local color was a no more than a few dozen huts and two or three shops; definitely nothing here to give off strange energy readings. Seeing what looked like small bar, Lorne motioned his team to follow him into the building.

_**At least it's dry in here**_, he thought as he looked around at the half dozen tables and the seven to eight people in the room that were warily looking at him. Seeing the bartender come out of the back room with a towel in his hand, Lorne decided to start asking his questions. Stepping up to what served as a bar, he motioned the man over with two fingers and asked, "Hey there, my friends and I are looking for a couple of people who came in a few days ago, four men, did you happen to see them?"

The dark-haired man looked at him for a second before rising to his full height, an oh-so-intimidating five-foot flat, and showed a gap-toothed grin on an aged face, "Sure I did, but yer gonna have to buy a drink for I tell ya." Lorne smiled as he prepared to negotiate; after all, Earth money probably was no good here. "How about if I trade you...this?" Pulling out a power bar from his vest pocket he watched the man's eyes brighten at the shiny material, he held in his hand and waved it back and forth.

"What is it?" his eyes giving him away that he would trade his information, no matter what it was. "This, is called a power bar, and you can eat it." Waggling his eyebrows he tore open the wrapper and handed it to the man. After sniffing the food and taking a small bite of it, a smile appeared on his face and he stuffed the power bar in a drawer before turning to answer the question.

"They was in here two days ago; stayed for about an hour and got directions to Faston, the south village. Seems those people needed some help with a generator or something. If you're wondering, it's about a mile down the path that leads out of the city," he said, pointing out the grimy window to the right.

Grimacing at the thought of going back out in the rain, Lorne waved a thank you to the bartender and motioned for his team to follow him out the door. Ignoring the slight groans from at least two of his team, he took point and again started off towards a village he knew nothing about.

Seeing the foreigners start down the path, the bartender looked around at his other guests and smirked before quietly walking into the back room, down the hidden staircase, and into the room that his friend Lagos was currently occupying.

**_AN: Sorry this took so long to update, shortly after I last updated one of my family members passed away and I was unable to continue; but hopefully now I will finally be able to finish this story!!! thanks to all you patient people out there_**


	10. Chapter 10

The Essence of Trust by decechat

_Summary: A trading mission turns into a nightmare as Sheppard, Ronan, and Rodney are forced to watch one man's revenge on Carson._

_Rated: PG-13 for violence and possible language._

_Season/Spoilers: Sometime in Season 2; no known spoilers._

_Disclaimer: Neither Atlantis nor any of her characters belong to me in any way, shape, or form. _

Chapter 10:

Lagos stared through the window at the scene unfolding before him. Rubbing his fingertips together, he could feel the anticipation growing; his weight was growing lighter with each passing second. _**This will be over soon…soon I can leave this planet…leave this weight behind…move forward**_, shaking his head, he pushed off the lightness, _**not yet, you must focus on the task at hand…you must finish it**_. He would finish it; he would finish it or die trying. He owed her that much. Rubbing his middle finger against his forehead he again turned his attention to the root cause of his problems. He could see the doctor wince as a meaty hand plowed into his gut and then into his chin.

Catching a glimpse of himself in the glass, his grin grew…_**yes, this will soon be over.**_ The doctor couldn't hold out much longer; the human body just wasn't built to withstand the brutal force of consecutive beatings. Even now he could see the man struggling to catch his breath; he could see the body shrinking back in an attempt to protect itself from further harm. Even more convincing was the trickle of blood he could see coming from the corner of the mouth…_**just like Caulde before she…**_turning quickly he felt his knuckles turn white hot as he plowed his fist into the wall behind him. He had relived her last moments so many times; had felt his heart ripped out afresh each time he could see her face, still strikingly beautiful, spasm with her final breath.

Looking down at his hands, the hands that had stroked **her** hair, had wiped **her **tears, he wondered silently if he should just take his revenge here and now; wondered if he should squeeze the life out of the doctor and be done with it. "No," he mumbled to himself as he turned back to the glass, "he must suffer." Yes, this Carson Beckett would suffer; he would suffer and then he would die; then he could leave.

Feeling the dark cloud dissipate slightly, Lagos rested the fingertips of his uninjured hand against the window and admired the work of the man he had hired to kill the doctor. He was a big man, between six and seven feet tall, with stockiness to him that spoke of the power behind each fist. Lagos had met him back on Hoff two years ago when he had had the unfortunate task of delivering food to one of the detainment centers outside the city. He still remembered the shock he had felt when he had witnessed the violent exchange between this man and another over a days rations. Before the guards could intervene, the second man was lying unconscious on the filthy floor with a hand-made wooden dagger sticking out of his chest and blood pooling from under his head.

A year and a half later Lagos had sought him out, paid his way out of the center, and convinced him that killing another man would be well worth his while. He had then proceeded to procure a few guards and a place to take out his revenge. After learning from his friend Bedin, the man who tended the bar, that men calling themselves explorers had entered the village and encouraged trade, it had been no hard thing to poison the chieftain and sabotage the only power source they had. Then he had waited. He had not been disappointed. From there he had added a little of his own fast-acting sleeping pills to their food and allowed his guards to force the removal of the strangers from the leader's tent. That had been two days ago.

_**Two days and he is still not dead…but not for long**_, Lagos smiled again as he watched the doctor take a particularly hard blow to the head. He knew his glee was almost emanating from him, but at this point he didn't care, _**surely he won't last the …**_ he was startled out of his revere by the creak of the door as it opened behind him. Turning he took in the panicked look on Bedin's face, "What is it?"

Bedin shut the door and moved into the room before placing his hand on Lagos' shoulder, "Some men have just come into the village and they were looking for them," motioning with his free hand towards the window.

"What did you tell them?" He could feel the cringe travel through Bedin's body at the hissed reply before the hand was removed from his shoulder.

"I told them that they went to Faston, but it won't take em' long to find out the truth, and then they'll be right back here on my doorstep." Bedin's face was a picture of worry as he wrung his hands together in anxiety. Lagos shrugged off the man's fear and turned his face back to the glass, thinking. "I must move them, but I can't make it to the ancestoral ring if I take all of them," he mumbled aloud, forgetting that he was not alone in the room.

"Ya have to take all of them, if ya don't the others will know I was involved…they'll kill me," the words tumbled off the fearful man's tongue and into Lagos' mind as another plan began to formulate.

"No, no they won't," facing his friend he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him before taking a small vial out of his coat and handing it over, "here, inject a small amount of this into each of the other three, wait a short while and then have my guards carry them into the woods to dispose of them. I will take the other with me through the ring…they will never know that you were involved. I will contact you when it is again safe"

Placing his hands on Bedin's shoulders, he patted them in friendly comraderie and waited for Bedin to seal the deal with a nod of the head before moving out of the room and into the adjacent one.

Bedin stood in silence as he watched Lagos enter the other room and motion for the big man to cease his battering before whispering in his ear and leaving the room again. As he gazed through the window, he saw the monstrosity of a man throw one more punch to the much smaller man's jaw before throwing the now unconscious body over his shoulder and hauling him out the door, following Lagos' retreating back.

**A/N: Again sorry for the delay, but this one took a while to write. Hope you all enjoy!!!**


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